7 top things to do this weekend

Shanghai International Film Festival

Sat 11 - Sun 19, Venues across Shanghai

The annual film extravaganza returns , with Sir Ian McKellen headlining and adding another high-profile name to the list of celebrities who have graced the Shanghai red carpet.

In this year's silver screen splendour, which runs from June 11-19, SIFF will present ‘Shakespeare on Film’, together with the British Film Institute and British Council, showing classic British adaptations of Shakespeare’s works on the big screen over 100 years, plus a series screening classic 007 films from the last 40 years. Also look out for Hollywood hits such as Steve Jobs, The Danish Girl, Room, Bridge of Spies and Joy, and the awards ceremony, with categories including Asian New Talent. Find more details on our website.

DJ Krush

Fri 10, 10pm, Arkham, 200RMB

The legendary Japanese DJ returns to bring this weekend's biggest night to Shanghai. Hideaki Ishi, aka DJ Krush, has gone from Japan’s criminal underworld to being one of the country’s most celebrated musical exports at the age of 53. Known for his jazzy and experimental hip hop beats, Krush has collaborated with the likes of DJ Shadow and The Roots, and last year released The Butterfly Effect, his first album in over a decade. It'll be a big night.

Alpine Decline

Fri 10, 9pm, Yuyintang, 80RMB

If you only see one gig this weekend, make it this one. Brilliant Beijing-based husband and wife duo Alpine Decline release their expansive new album Life's a Gasp with help from PK14's Yang Haisong and support from Nonplus of Color and Dreamcan, two of Shanghai's best bands.

Time Out's Film Screenings: Red Sorghum

Sun 12, 4.15pm, Glam, Free

The next installment of our monthly film screenings (all from our poll of China' top 100 films) is Zhang Yimou’s legendary directorial debut Red Sorghum. Adapted from Mo Yan's novel, it satisfies both as a straight folk tale and as a subversive tribute to the vitality and endurance of Chinese peasant culture.

Set in a remote northern province in the ’20s and ’30s, the story is narrated by a man who remembers the lives and times of his grandparents. As the film develops, the tone shifts from light to dark, humour giving way to horror with the arrival of Japanese forces. Formerly a cameraman, Zhang fills the screen with rich, sensuous images that illuminate and celebrate peasant life (waving sorghum fields, an eclipse of the sun) and uses actors, music and colour in a deeply expressive way.

You can see the film for free and reserve your spot at Glam by messaging the word 'Film' to our official WeChat account.

104 historical sites across the city are going free on Saturday for Cultural Heritage Day - yes, a record-breaking 104. These include the Former Residence of Chairman Mao, the Sihang Warehouse Museum, the former seat of the Shanghai Government and the Memorial House of the Second National Congress of the Communist Party of China among many others. Some places will provide guided tours as part of the deal, but note that a number of the sites have a restriction on the number of visitors they're accepting so go early to avoid disappointment.

You can find more information about what's going free this weekend on our website.

JZ Summer Night: Tina May

Fri 10, 7.45pm, Shanghai Concert Hall, 80-1,280RMB

One of the UK's premier jazz vocalists, Tina May returns to Shanghai as part of JZ's Summer Night series at Shanghai Concert Hall. She'll be joined by a host of JZ musicians, including Toby Mak, Huang Jianyi and Danny Zanker, plus special guest Jade Lee.

IAMNOBODI

Sat 11, 10pm, Arkham,  60RMB

Folks are getting excited about this one. STD bring hip hop beatmaker IAMNOBODI to Arkham for a night of soulful rhythms and hypnotic basslines. He released his second official project Snapshots from Berlin on Jakarta Records in April 2014 and a follow up release last year, Dubplates from Jakarta. He brings an improvised show to Arkham, where his productions will be given the club treatment.